The story of rapid transit in Waterloo Region Managing growth and enhancing quality of life The Region of Waterloo continues to grow. With a current population of 550,000, we are the fourth largest community in Ontario and the tenth largest in Canada. Over the next 20 years, growth will continue as we expect 200,000 new residents to move to our community. In fact, the Province recently increased its population projection for Waterloo Region, from 729,000 to 742,000 by 2031 (Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe). These projections are on track as nearly 10,000 new residents move to the region each year. Where will these 200,000 people live and how will they travel in and around our community? Our traditional pattern of suburban sprawl and single-occupancy car travel is not sustainable as we prepare to add the equivalent of another Kitchener to the region. Waterloo Region recognizes the need to look at new and improved ways to prepare for the future of our community. The Region, together with the Province – through its Places to Grow legislation – is encouraging development and growth within existing urban areas. By focusing development and investment in the core, Waterloo Region can build up, instead of out: limiting urban sprawl and protecting the environment. Moving people more efficiently in and around our community, limiting urban sprawl and saving our farmland through the protection and preservation of the environment are three of the fundamental goals of ION. ION will also help local businesses attract new talent to the region, assist with job creation and stimulate new business growth. ION THE STORY MANAGING GROWTH AND ENHANCING QUALITY OF LIFE 2 Why do we need ION? 55% of new residential development Limit urban sprawl currently in the built up area 2011 and protect farmland • Some of the best farmland in Ontario lies just outside our urban areas. ION safeguards the region’s precious agricultural lands and preserves the community’s natural beauty by intensifying the core areas of the community and limiting urban sprawl 2003 • Most of the region’s water supply comes from groundwater. Much of of new this groundwater is located just outside the western edges of Kitchener 15% and Waterloo. By encouraging growth inward and limiting urban sprawl, residential ION will help protect the region’s groundwater sources development in the built up area • ION helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions for better air quality • ION maintains the unique rural and urban lifestyle that we enjoy in our community • ION is shaping the community for the future by encouraging development in core areas • The Region is focused on building up, instead of out ION THE STORY WHY DO WE NEED ION? 3 Why do we need ION? • ION is inspiring new residential and business investments ° Construction can already be seen along the rapid transit corridor, with new projects continuously being added with new developments such as 1 Victoria and the Red Condos selling out before completion ° For the first time in the past decade, more apartments and townhomes are being built in Waterloo Region than single family homes. • The Region’s Official Plan aims to balance growth between subdivisions and existing built-up areas ° This is a major departure from the past where nearly all new growth took place in subdivisions or single- family homes ° A noticeable new trend has emerged in the region in the past decade: we have shifted from having about 15 per cent development in existing built-up areas in 2003 to having more than 50 per cent development in existing built-up areas in 2011 • ION is encouraging better use of land and efficient use of existing services and infrastructure ° More compact, intensified development means it’s easier and more cost-effective for the Region and the Cities to provide services to residents, for example: water, sewer, waste, emergency services • ION will foster a strong economy by stimulating growth and revitalization • Project developers openly attribute their projects to the rapid transit corridor ION THE STORY WHY DO WE NEED ION? 4 Why do we need ION? Move people • ION will offer residents a new transportation choice: light rail transit (LRT) in two stages • With Grand River Transit (GRT), ION will create an efficient, integrated, easy-to-use public transit system for all residents in Waterloo Region ° New iXpress routes for convenient crosstown travel ° Increased local bus service and improved frequency in neighbourhoods ° One fare for all GRT and ION services • Current ridership demands it ° GRT has already achieved its ridership target for 2016 – four years ahead of schedule – with ridership now at 22 million per year ° Ridership on iXpress and Route 7 (that travel between the transit terminals at Conestoga Mall and Fairview Park Mall) is at 20,000 rides per day, which is quickly closing in on the 2017 ION daily ridership target of 25,000 rides per day. • Without ION, the Region would need to build 500 new lane kilometres of roads over the next 20 years to accommodate expected growth ° These new roads – the equivalent of 25 Hespeler Roads – would cost $1.4 billion and would need to be built through existing neighbourhoods ° The impact to roads such as Westmount Road and Courtland Avenue would cause significant social and environmental disruption as well as change the nature of these established neighbourhoods • Building ION allows the Region to reduce the need for new roads and reduce new road construction costs by approximately 40 per cent or $500 million • With ION, the Region will ease traffic congestion – now, and in the future – by strategically building roads that efficiently connect a variety of transportation modes • ION helps the community strike a better balance between daily car and transit use ION THE STORY WHY DO WE NEED ION? 5 Do we need ION? Yes we do! Here’s why: • Without ION, 500 new lane kilometres of roadways are needed to accommodate growth ° The cost is approximately $1.4 billion and Regional taxpayers are responsible for 100 per cent of these costs • Building ION allows the Region to reduce its new road construction costs by approximately 40 per cent or $500 million • Without ION, more dependence will be placed on our roads, increasing the need for expansion and improvement • Roadway infrastructure costs are funded entirely by the Region • More than two-thirds of the capital costs to build ION will be paid for by the Ontario ($300 million) and Canadian ($265 million) governments ° The Region will contribute $253 million to build ION • Without ION, a significant amount of land would be required by the Region to accommodate expansion and growth, including new roads or road widenings through established neighbourhoods ° This land would come from established neighbourhoods where communities are already struggling with competing priorities for space ° It is not certain that these roads could even be built or expanded within our Region and our rising population would lead to unmanageable gridlock throughout our community • Road improvements and expansions do not offer the same level of development opportunities that the current investment in ION does ION THE STORY DO WE NEED ION? 6 What’s in it for me? Whether you live in one of the townships, one of our downtown areas, or a suburb in Cambridge, Kitchener or Waterloo, ION provides plenty of benefits for you and helps us preserve our quality of life and unique urban/rural mix. In suburban areas • Development along the ION corridor will help limit overall traffic congestion and cut-through traffic in existing neighbourhoods – now, and into the future • ION will reduce the need to expand roads and limit the amount of infrastructure required to provide Regional and City services such as water, sewer and fire, making it more effective to provide these services to all residents • Along with Grand River Transit, ION will create an efficient, easy-to-use public transit system ° New iXpress routes for convenient crosstown travel ° Increased local bus service and improved frequency in neighbourhoods ° One fare for all GRT and ION services • Without ION, 500 lane kilometres of roadway (approximately 25 Hespeler Roads) are needed to accommodate growth in Waterloo Region ° The cost is approximately $1.4 billion and Regional taxpayers are responsible for 100 per cent of these road costs • Building ION allows the Region to reduce the need for new roads and limit roadway costs by approximately 40 per cent or $500 million • ION reduces the need to build or widen roads through established neighbourhoods In city centres • ION will offer residents a new transportation choice • New business, residential and commercial developments along the ION corridor will create prosperous and connected communities • ION will help the community strike a better balance between daily car and transit use ° By opening day in 2017, more than 36,000 people will live within 600 metres of an ION stop, and 64,000 people will work within the same area • ION will reduce traffic congestion In rural areas • By encouraging development in existing urban areas, the region’s agricultural lands, natural beauty and rural lifestyle will remain preserved • ION protects the countryside and ensures locally-grown food products are always available • Low-emission, shared transportation protects the environment and improves air quality ION THE STORY WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME? 7 How we got here Planning for ION The 2011 decision by Council to implement LRT was made following six years of technical studies and an extensive, unprecedented public consultation process. The idea of a rapid transit corridor in Waterloo Region is deep-rooted and was first presented in 1976, when it was highlighted in the Regional Official Policies Plan.